The Montreal Canadiens will face the Florida Panthers in the NHL on Thursday.
Montreal have had a poor season so far and come into this one on the back of a losing streak. They are placed last in the Eastern Conference Atlantic with 33 points and a win here will take them to a better situation in the standings.
Florida, meanwhile, have suffered due to inconsistency this season. They're sixth in the Atlantic division with 34 points. As other teams catch up with them, they will not want to lose in the upcoming encounter to find themselves chasing a big gap in the standings.
Canadiens vs Panthers Odds
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Canadiens vs Panthers Match Details
Fixture: Canadiens vs Panthers
Date & Time: Thursday, December 29; 7 pm ET
Venue: FLA Live Arena, Sunrise, FL
Canadiens vs Panthers Key Stats
Montreal's offense has let the team down and they have failed to score even three goals per game this season. The only notable effort has come from players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, who have over 10 goals each. Both have done decently but haven't received the required support from other players and need changes going forward.
Their defense is on the poor side, having conceded over 120 goals in 35 games. They are very much vulnerable with no positive response from the goaltenders, and have struggled a lot in the last few games.
Florida have a good offensive setup, having scored over three goals per game this season, but have failed to make the most out of it. The duo of Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe have 32 goals in between them and the team has been dependent on them for scoring so far. They are likely to play a strong role in the upcoming games too.
The defense has failed to keep opposition attacks at bay and has failed to provide enough support to the goaltenders. They need changes in their defensive setup to get the best out of their players.
Canadiens vs Panthers Betting Prediction
The game is between two teams with losing streaks. Montreal are on the backfoot, having lost more games in a similar span of time. They have not played well away from home and their overall team strength is very weak.
Florida have been a better side at home and come with a great home record against Montreal. Florida's offensive strength with a better defense should be enough to make them cover the spread in this game.
Prediction: Take, Florida, -1.5(-115)
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